NobelActive studies document high survival rates and bone gain
The new and innovative NobelActive implant system continues to gain worldwide acceptance as its main features allow clinicians to expand treatments to more clinical indications. Moreover, ongoing NobelActive studies (18 centers, 119 patients, 177 implants) demonstrate high cumulative survival rates (96.6 – 98.3%), stable bone levels, and favorable soft tissue parameters after one year when subjected to immediate function under various clinical conditions. Preliminary two-year results from one five-year study continued to show very favorable trends during the second year: no soft tissue recession, stable papilla and stable bone level, with more than 60% of recorded NobelActive implants showing bone gain from one to two years. [Submitted to International Association for Dental Research Annual Meeting, Barcelona, 2010.]
Five-year follow-up data proves All-on-4 treatment concept efficacy
The All-on-4 solution is an evidence-based, predictable and cost-effective solution for full-arch restorations immediately loaded on four implants. A clinical follow-up study (up to 5-year results) demonstrates cumulative survival rate (CSR) of 98.36 and 99.73% in both edentulous maxillae and mandibles. Results showed favorable marginal bone remodeling (0.9 ± 0.7mm in the maxilla - 204 implants, 51 patients - and 1.2 ± 0.9 mm in the mandible – 292 implants, 73 patients) measured from time of prosthetic insertion and soft tissue parameters. [Agliardi E, Panigatti S, Clerico M, Villa C, Malo P. Immediate rehabilitation of the edentulous jaws with full fixed prosthesis supported by four implants: interim results of a single cohort prospective study. Clin Oral Implants Res 2010 (e-pub ahead of print).]
TiUnite continues to demonstrate excellent results in demanding clinical situations
TiUnite is Nobel Biocare’s patented implant surface. It has been in clinical use for more than 10 years and the most documented modern implant surface on the market with up to 10 years of clinical data. The surface has a proven advantage of increasing the speed at which implants osseointegrate* and thereby reduces the risk of early implant failure. A recent published on-going 5-year study now demonstrates that TiUnite performs very successfully also long-term. A 5-year, cross-sectional, retrospective, follow-up study conducted by the Brånemark Clinic in Gothenburg, Sweden, demonstrated that TiUnite - placed in demanding indications - performed equally well compared to machined surface implants, which are the reference when it comes to long-term (> 35 years) success rates. Cumulative survival rates for the two implant surfaces were favorable at 5 years (97.1 – 99.1%), and the marginal bone loss was low and similar for both implant surfaces. [Friberg B and Jemt T. Clinical experience of TiUnite implants: a 5-year cross-sectional, retrospective follow-up study. Clin Implant Dent Relat Res 2009 (e-pub ahead of print).]
Comparison confirms that Nobel Biocare adheres to very demanding study protocols
A literature-based review of prevailing clinical study protocols and radiographic baseline setting documented substantial differences between three major implant manufacturers (Nobel Biocare, Straumann® and Astra Tech®).
Clinical studies can differ in terms of surgical protocol, timing of (provisional) prosthetic delivery and outcome assessment, which can all have an influence on the reported results. Surgery can be accomplished using a one-stage surgical approach, with access to the implant head during the healing period. Alternatively, a two-stage procedure can be used, with the implant submerged beneath the soft tissue during the healing period, and later exposed in order to attach the soft tissue penetrating part of the prosthesis.
Similarly, the prosthetic restoration can be installed at various time points, commonly described as immediate loading (within 48 hours), early loading (after 48 hours and up to 3 months) or delayed loading (3 months and later).
To measure how bone responds to implant insertion and subsequent function, x-rays are taken and the bone level change measured with the first x-ray as reference, also called the radiographic baseline. Since the majority of bone response typically occurs during the first months after surgery, different time points for the baseline readings will influence the published bone remodeling result.
The research screened 10,560 peer-reviewed clinical articles listed in MEDLINE, published January 1995 to July 2009. Of these, 37 Astra Tech (1,230 patients, 3,402 implants), 49 Nobel Biocare (1,987 patients, 5,356 implants) and 34 Straumann (1,540 patients, 2,894 implants) articles met the inclusion criteria.
The review showed that Nobel Biocare study groups used the highest percentage of one-stage protocols (84%), the highest share (45%) of immediate loading approach and began measuring marginal bone remodeling most frequently (79%) at implant insertion.
The results of this review – which are graphically shown in the above pdf – demonstrate that Nobel Biocare uses very demanding study protocols and is very transparent in its reporting of bone remodeling.
